UNIT 3 PM AND THE EXECUTIVE Flashcards
structure of the executive
PM- Head of executive, chairs Cabinet and manages its agenda,Appoints and fires Cabinet members and junior ministers Chief policy maker
cabinet- Composed of senior ministers (mainly heads of
govt depts) Provides support for PM in policy deliberation
(approving policy etc) Enables conflict resolution between
department
treasury- manages govt finances
govt departments- Each dept is responsible for an area of policy
e.g. Dept for Education(DFE), Headed by Cabinet minister, supported by
junior ministers, Develops and implements specialised policies civil service Permanent officials who carry out day-to-day
running of government departments, Advise ministers and enact policy (they do not
make policy themselves), Apolitical
the power of PM
PMs power comes from trad authority(historical/conventional norm to have PM with soveriegnty), Party(excercise power over party through whip), Parliament(accountability strengethens power, have the majority- control party in essence), Patronage (appoints a cabinet thatll agree with their policy, loyalty have to vote withi party line if in cabinet) and the people(vote for ruling party )
powers of the executive
Cabinet is an unwritten Parliamentary convention, its role is unclear and
interchangeable. Cabinet has a number of roles but surprisingly few powers outside
of the PM. However, it can:
Legitimise government policy and interprets what policy actually is (PM has final
say)
Steers agenda for how policy is prioritised
No absolute authority to remove PM (no such thing as vote of no confidence in
Cabinet) but can drive PM out of power by publicly not supporting them (e.g.
Margaret Thatcher 1990) (e.g. Blair 2007) (e.g. Johnson 2022)
Can overrule PM if it can summon political will for alternate policy (e.g. David
Cameron forced to suspend Collective Cabinet Responsibility in EU Ref to allow
for ministers’ personal views)
Outside of this, the Cabinet’s powers are the PM’s powers
royal perogative- role of pm
Developed during 18th Century to create singularity of purpose.
Appoint/dismiss govt., foreign treaties, commander-in-chief of
armed forces, foreign policy, heads the cabinet system
Monarch no longer political figure but in theory still has
considerable powers (‘royal prerogative’)
Ritual that appears to show monarch summoning and appointing
chosen PM but this is an illusion
Nevertheless, new PM does inherit the traditional authority of the
monarch. Monarch’s approval a formality but still part of the
constitution
commander in cheif- role of PM
Until C21st generally accepted that PM brings armed forces into
action
Seemed to change in 2013 - Syrian gov. using chemical
weapons, Cameron felt it important to ask Commons
Denied in a vote, did not take action
1999 Blair, intervene in kosovo in the balkans
2011 cameron sends british air forces to do air strikes to intervene in libyan civil war to save the democratic rebels
5 people in the executive
david lammy- foriegn,
eD MILIBAND CLIMATE,
keir starmer- leader,
rachel reeves shadow councillor,
Angela Raynor - deputy leader, shadowing deputy PM
collective ministerial responsibility
If the government loses a vote of confidence, the entire government must resign (e.g., Callaghan’s Labour government, 1979). Cabinet discussions must remain secret to maintain government integrity. Ministers must publicly support government policies, even if they privately disagree.If a minister cannot support a policy, they must resign and return to the backbenches.
high profile:Robin Cook (2003)
Resigned as Leader of the House of Commons over opposition to the Iraq War.
Unconvinced by claims that Saddam Hussein was a threat.
Voted against military action but Blair’s government continued and won re-election in 2005.
Boris Johnson (2018)
Resigned as Foreign Secretary over Theresa May’s Brexit strategy (Chequers Agreement).
Could not publicly support the agreement, highlighting the principle of collective responsibility.
ministers can choose to remain:Vince Cable (2010–15) Liberal Democrat Business Secretary in the coalition government.
Frequently criticised Conservative policies, including Osborne’s 2014 budget cuts.
Boris Johnson (2016–18)
Foreign Secretary under Theresa May but strongly opposed her Brexit policy.
Criticised her customs partnership plan, calling it “totally untried.”
Despite his hostility, May kept him in cabinet, preferring debate over uniform agreement.
Exceptions to Collective Responsibility
Heathrow Expansion (2016) Theresa May suspended collective responsibility to prevent resignations.
Boris Johnson & Justine Greening opposed expansion due to constituency concerns.
No-Deal Brexit Vote (2019) 13 ministers abstained despite government policy to keep ‘no deal’ as an option.
May allowed this to maintain cabinet unity amid deep Brexit divisions.
individual ministerial responsibility examples
Individual Ministerial Responsibility
Ministers are accountable to Parliament for their department’s actions.
Must answer questions honestly in debates, written responses, and select committees.
Expected to take responsibility for major policy or administrative failures.
Must uphold government integrity and avoid discrediting it.
Ministerial Code of Conduct (1997, updated 2019 & 2022)
1.1: Ministers must maintain high standards of propriety.
1.2: Harassment, bullying, or discrimination is not tolerated.
administerial responsibilityAdministrative Failure – Crichel Down Affair (1954) Sir Thomas Dugdale resigned as Minister of Agriculture.
Issue: His department failed to return land to its rightful owner after WWII, Dugdale took full responsibility.
policy failure Gavin Williamson – A-Level Scandal (2020) Algorithm unfairly downgraded student grades.
Policy scrapped; teacher-assessed grades used.
Ofqual chief Sally Collier resigned; Williamson stayed until 2021
Norman Lamont – Black Wednesday (1992)
UK forced out of ERM after failed interest rate hikes.
Major policy failure linked to Lamont(chancellor of exchequer). Refused to resign, arguing Major also backed the policy.
scandal: priti patel secret meetings with isreal in 2017.
dominic raab sacked under bullying investigations in 2023.
powers of Cabinet
PM = ‘first amongst equals’
* Power to determine legislative agenda (although PM has influence)
* Cabinet do not have the power to remove a PM (no ‘vote of no confidence’ within cabinet)
* Can influence PM’s downfall through public criticism or provoking a leadership contest
Once Margaret Thatcher (1990) and Boris Johnson (2022) lost the support of their cabinets, they were both forced to resign office.
* Can exert influence to overrule
a PM i.eIn 2018, Jeremy Hunt refused Theresa May’s attempt to move him from the then Department of Health and even managed to expand his role to being health and social care secretary.
factors governing PMs selection of ministers
Party unity- A PM may wish to choose a balanced Cabinet to
reflect different wings of the party, such as May’s
appointment of hard and soft Brexiteers. An
authoritative PM may back one group for ideological
reasons, such as Johnson removing all soft Brexiteers
Experience- Experienced, senior ‘heavyweights’ may be more
difficult to control but can add standing to the cabinet.
Having ‘big beasts’ on the backbenches with their own
base of support can be a focus point for opposition
Ability -Providing opportunities for talented MPs to flourish, or
less talented MPs to be demoted. Sunak was appointed Chancellor after his work as a Chief Secretary to the
Treasury
Allies and advisors
-Close allies support policy through advice and support
in Cabinet, such as Cameron’s appointment of
Osborne as Chancellor
External pressure- PMs may hire and fire who they wish but they still need to consider public attitudes, hence why May forced Rudd to resign after the Windrush Scandal broke
Diversity A PM may wish to appoint a cabinet that better
reflects the nation. Under Truss, the 4 big offices of
state were not held by white men.
Coalition- agreements Cameron appointed Clegg as Deputy PM in 2010- 6 cabinet members were libdem
pm and executive balance of power
Factors Influencing Prime Ministerial Power
Having a Large Majority:
Thatcher & Blair: Few defeats (4 in 11 and 10 years respectively).
Callaghan: Faced 34 defeats with a minority government.
Party Cohesion:
Divisions within the party weaken the PM.
May’s Brexit Deal: Cabinet resignations revealed cracks, showcasing PM weakness.
Being an Electoral Asset:
PMs with strong personal popularity can drag in MPs, but if their popularity wanes, splits emerge.
Thatcher, Blair, Johnson: Won seats in traditionally opposing areas due to their personal appeal.
Securing an Electoral Mandate:
MPs are less likely to rebel against manifesto commitments, especially when strengthened by the Salisbury Convention.
Being a First-Time Government:
New PMs often enjoy a honeymoon period, with any issues blamed on the previous regime.
Blair’s First Term: Seen as revitalising Britain after Tory rule, but reputation tarnished later (e.g., Iraq invasion).
Low Salience of Issues:
A PM is stronger when issues are not controversial or emotionally charged, as these can divide the party or public.
Fear of the Alternatives:
Fear of a strong opposition leader can strengthen the PM’s position.
Major: Used the growing threat of Blair in the 1990s to control his party.
extent PM is dominant force in politics- 2 examples, bojo and cameron
David Cameron (2010-2016)
Austerity and Same-Sex Marriage:
Introduced significant public spending cuts as part of the austerity programme.
Pushed through legislation allowing same-sex marriage, despite opposition from traditionalist Conservative MPs.
Coalition Government Limitations:
Restricted by the Coalition Agreement:
Had to allow a referendum on electoral reform (2011).
Failed to reform parliamentary boundaries after the Liberal Democrats withdrew support.
Foreign Policy Challenges:
Failed to secure parliamentary approval for bombing Syria in 2013 after the use of chemical weapons by Assad.
Brexit Referendum:
Promised an EU referendum, which helped unite the Conservative Party and secure a 2015 general election win.
Unexpected Leave vote led to his resignation on 24 June 2016, as he felt it would not be right for him to lead the country post-Brexit.
Boris Johnson (2019-2022)
Initial Success:
Won a decisive 2019 general election with a strong personal mandate.
Dominated politics with a united Conservative Party, Brexit secured, and no strong opposition.
Downfall:
Allegations of breaching lockdown regulations and misleading Parliament led to a gradual loss of authority.
Sue Gray Report and 41% of Conservative MPs voting against him in a confidence vote severely weakened his position.
Chris Pincher Scandal:
Appointed Chris Pincher as deputy chief whip despite serious personal allegations, which further damaged his credibility.
Resignations:
Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid resigned simultaneously, further escalating pressure on Johnson.
bojo case study- factors that indicate strong leadership
Strengthening Boris Johnson’s Leadership
✅ Electoral Success & Party Control
Secured an 80-seat majority in the December 2019 election with a strong “Get Brexit Done” campaign.
Labour suffered its worst defeat since 1935, and many pro-European Conservative MPs were removed.
Gained loyalty from new Conservative MPs in former Labour “Red Wall” seats.
✅ Brexit & Policy Implementation
Passed his Brexit Withdrawal Agreement quickly in January 2020.
Redefined his administration with the “levelling up” agenda (renaming a government department in 2021).
✅ Crisis Leadership
Covid-19 pandemic strengthened his authority, as regular updates created a sense of national leadership.
Support for Ukraine during the 2022 Russian invasion bolstered his reputation for strong leadership.
bojo case study factors that indicate weak leadership
Undermining Boris Johnson’s Leadership
❌ Weak Start (July-Dec 2019)
Inherited a minority Conservative government and faced internal opposition from pro-European MPs.
Commons seized control of government business (3 Sept 2019) to block a no-deal Brexit.
Supreme Court ruled his prorogation of Parliament illegal (24 Sept 2019).
Failed three times to secure an early general election under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act.
❌ Scandals & Loss of Authority (2022)
Lockdown party allegations emerged, damaging his credibility.
Sue Gray report (May 2022) criticized Downing Street for failing public expectations.
Confidence vote (6 June 2022): 41% of Conservative MPs voted against him.
Major resignations (5 July 2022): Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid’s departures triggered his downfall.
Resigned on 7 July 2022, replaced by Liz Truss on 5 September.
thatcher case study strengthened leadership
Strengthening Margaret Thatcher’s Leadership
✅ Early Cabinet Management & Consensus
Maintained internal balance by including both her supporters and One-Nation Conservatives.
Allowed debate on major issues like Geoffrey Howe’s 1981 Budget to ensure consensus.
War Leadership: Called an emergency cabinet meeting during the Falklands War (1982), which solidified her authority.
✅ Political & Military Victories
Victory in the Falklands War (1982) boosted national pride and strengthened her leadership.
Defeated the miners’ strike (1984-85), consolidating her power over trade unions.
✅ Tight Control Over Decision-Making
After key victories, she became more assertive and relied on a small group of trusted advisors.
Established a strong, centralised leadership style, reducing internal opposition.
tatcher case study weaken leadership
Undermining Margaret Thatcher’s Leadership
❌ Cabinet Resignations & Internal Dissent
Michael Heseltine resigned (1986) during the Westland crisis, arguing she no longer listened to her ministers.
Nigel Lawson resigned (1989) after being sidelined by Thatcher’s economic adviser, Alan Walters.
Geoffrey Howe resigned (1990) due to her increasingly Eurosceptic stance, triggering Heseltine’s leadership challenge.
❌ Loss of Popularity & Party Support
Poll tax backlash & inflation crisis led to a sharp decline in public and party support.
Conservative MPs, fearing electoral defeat, withdrew their loyalty.
❌ Leadership Challenge & Resignation
Heseltine’s leadership challenge (1990) gained momentum, forcing her to rely on cabinet support.
After years of being sidelined, cabinet ministers refused to back her, leaving her with no choice but to resign on 22 November 1990.
